Geranium Plant Named ‘Fisrorose’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named ‘Fisrorose’, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized by the combined features of intense, salmon-pink, flower color, large, cup-shaped flowers, luxuriant, medium-green foliage with strong zonation, medium to tall plant habit, and early spring flowering response.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of geraniumplant, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name ‘Fisrorose’.

‘Fisrorose’ is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new geranium varieties with salmon-pink to deepsalmon, semi-double flowers, zoned foliage, and medium-tall plant habit.

‘Fisrorose’ originated from a hybridization made by the inventor,Angelika Utecht, in a controlled breeding program in Galdar, GranCanaria, Spain, in 1992. The female parent was a hybrid seedling,designated no. 1061-1 (unpatented), characterized by large, red,semi-double flowers, large, relatively light-green foliage with strongzonation, and vigorous growth. The male parent was the commercialvariety ‘Penve’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,970), characterized bypurple-pink, semi-double flowers, medium-green foliage with slightzonation, and early flowering response.

‘Fisrorose’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progency ofthe stated cross by the inventor, Angelika Utecht, in 1993 in acontrolled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Fisrorose’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in autumn1993 in a controlled environment in Galdar, Gran Canaria, Spain, by, orunder the supervision of, Angelika Utecht. Horticultural examination ofplants grown from cuttings of the plant, initiated in May 1995 inHillscheid, Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated thatthe combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Fisrorose’are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations ofasexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of ‘Fisrorose’, which in combinationdistinguish this geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Intense salmon-pink to bluish-pink flower color;

2. Large, cup-shaped, semi-double flowers in wide umbels;

3. Relatively large, medium-green foliage with strong zonation;

4. Moderately vigorous growth; and

5. Early spring flowering response.

‘Fisrorose’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary significantlywith variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity andday length without any change in the genotype. The followingobservations, measurements, and comparisions describe plants grown inHillscheid, Germany, and in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, undergreenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial practice.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the mostmeaningful comparison to be made with ‘Fisrorose’, are to the cultivars‘Fisplosive’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,388) and ‘Americana Salmon’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 7,933). ‘Fisrorose’ could, however, be compared with thecultivars ‘Fisplosive’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,388) or ‘Americana Salmon’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,933). In comparison to ‘Fisplosive’, ‘Fisrorose’has a slightly less bluish, more salmon tone of flower color,medium-green foliage with stronger zonation, and a more vigorous growthhabit. In comparison to ‘Americana Salmon’, ‘Fisrorose’ has a slightlymore intense, pinker flower color, larger flowers, shorter peduncles,and stronger zonation of foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical flower andfoliage characteristics of ‘Fisrorose’ with colors being as true aspossible with an illustration of this type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, onJun. 15, 1999, 12 weeks after planting of rooted cuttings into 15-cmpots. The plants had not been pinched. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.)Colour Chart. The color values were determined indoors from plantsdeveloped in a greenhouse in May 1999 in Hillscheid, Germany.

CLASSIFICATION

Botanical: A hybrid of the species Pelargonium zonal L'Hérit .

Commercial: Zonal geranium. cv. ‘Fisrorose’.

INFLORESCENCE

Umbel:

Shape.—Almost semi-spherical.

Average diameter.—101 mm.

Average depth.—58 mm.

Peduncle length.—175 mm.

Peduncle color.—Light-green, color varies between RHS 143 A and RHS 144A, slight infusion of anthocyanin may occur RHS 179 B.

Pedicel length.—29 mm.

Pedicel color.—Base is green RHS 143 C, middle part is brownish-red, RHS181 A, and upper part is RHS 184 A.

Number of flowers per umbel.—Approximately 30-35.

Lastingness of umbel.—Approximately 18-20 days at 18° C.

Corolla:

Average diameter.—52 mm.

Form.—Semi-double.

Shape.—Large, nearly round, cup-shaped.

Number of petals.—7-9.

Size of petals.—Upper petals 28-30 mm long, 23-25 mm wide; lower petals25-27 mm long, 25 mm wide.

Shape of petals.—Obovate, upper end rounded, attenuate bae, marginentire but slightly dentated.

Number of petaloids.—0-2.

Color of petaloids.—Upper surface RHS 52 B, lower surface RHS 52 C, baseis pale pink, RHS 56 A.

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).—Intense salmonwith a slightly variable bluish-pink hue.

Color of upper petals.—RHS 52 C.

Markings of upper petals.—Slightly lighter colored area RHS 55 B at thebase with weak, pink veins RHS 54 A.

Color of lower petals.—RHS 52 C.

Color of lower surface of petals.—Mainly RHS 52 C, partly more intense.

Color of sepals.—Outer surface mainly reddish RHS 181 B with green tipsRHS 143 B; inner surface reddish RHS 179 A with green tips RHS 143 C.

Size of sepals.—11-12 mm long, 4-5 mm wide for the largest upper sepal,2-3 mm wide for other sepals.

Shape of sepals.—Linear to lanceolate, truncate base, acute tip, surfaceweak with pubescence, margin entire.

Number of sepals.—5.

Bud (just before petals unfold):

Shape.—Elliptical.

Color (sepals).—Green, RHS 143 A, with infusion of anthocyanin RHS 179 Aat the base.

Color (petals).—Salmon-pink, about RHS 52 C.

Length.—15 mm.

Width.—8-9 mm.

Reproductive organs:

Androecium.—Normally, 7 fertile anthers, white to light-pink filament,yellow-orange pollen RHS 33 A, plentiful in amount.

Gynoecium.—5-6 lobed stigma, red stigma and filament, one pistil perflower.

Fertility/seed set.—A few seeds may occasionally be developed; oblong inshape, 4-5 mm in length, brown RHS 177 B.

Spring flowering response period: In Hillscheid, Germany, in 1999,plants had on average 1.0 flowers opened 8 weeks after planting orrooted cuttings.

Outdoor flower production: Fair, the flower count in 1999, inHillscheid, Germany, indicated on average about 3 inflorescences perplant in mid-May.

Durability: Good shatter resistance and relatively good rain resistancedue to the open cup-shape of the flower; flower color somewhat variable.

Lastingness of individual bloom: Approximately 9 days at 18° C.

Fragrance: None.

PLANT

Foliage:

Form.—Kidney-shaped, with open base.

Margin.—Bicrenated.

Size of leaf.—Relatively large, 100-110 mm wide, 65 mm long.

Color of upper surface.—Medium-green, approximately from RHS 137 B toRHS 137 C.

Color of lower surface.—Lighter green, near RHS 137 D.

Zonation.—Strong, but not very wide ring, dark-brown colored, about RHS200 B.

Petiole size.—60-70 mm in length, 3 mm in diameter.

Petiole color.—RHS 143 C.

General appearance and form:

Internode length.—10-20 mm.

Branching pattern.—7.1 branches.

Plant size.—21.0 cm high from the soil surface to the surface of thefoliage canopy (without the inflorescence) and 37.3 cm wide.

Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: None observed to date.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named‘Fisrorose’, as